Demand for statehood gains momentum across J&K

With electoral rolls scheduled to be finalised by November end, the political parties have started demanding statehood before the Assembly poll in the Union Territory.

The Gupkar alliance of the Kashmir-centric parties along with demanding restoration of Article 370 has been pitching for the statehood.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC), which strongly advocated restoration of special status of J&K under Article 370 in the past, were now more confined to the demand of restoration of statehood.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had stated that the Assembly poll in J&K would be held after the revision of the voters’ list.

The demand has also gained momentum after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently mentioned that J&K may soon become a state during an event.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had notified the schedule of Special Summary Revision in J&K for new voters and had set November 25 as a deadline for publication of final electoral rolls.

Former Chief Ministers, including PDP’s Mehbooba Mufti and NC’s Omar Abdullah, had announced that they woud not contest the Assembly poll before the statehood was restored.

Apni Party led by a senior politician from Kashmir, Altaf Bukhari, maintained that restoration of Article 370 was sub judice, statehood must be restored.

Raqeeq Ahmed Khan, media coordinator of Apni Party said they held a signature campaign where 1.30 lakh people from Jammu and 2.50 lakh people from Kashmir demanded restoration of statehood.

Democratic Azad Party-led by Ghulam Nabi Azad has also been demanding restoration of statehood. During rallies in Doda and Kishtwar, Azad said restoration of statehood was the core agenda of his party.